Bag making machine



MalCh 6, 1934- A. POTDEVIN l BAG MAKING MACHINE Filed AJuly 9, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet l IN VEN TOR.

DOLP/f Po Tam/nv Mmww@ ATTORNEY March 6, 1934. A. PQTDEVIN BAG MAKING MACHINE Filed July 9, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N V EN TOR.

/IDOL P/i PoTDEV//v WW@ ATTORNEYS.

March 6, 1934. A. PoTDr-:VIN 1,949,879

BAG MAKING MACHINE Filed July 9, 1929 4 Sheets-'Sheet 3 Ull- IN VEN TOR.

Q /moLPH PoTDE/'w BY M Mm @Q1/Me ATTORNEYS.

March 6, 1934. A. POTDEVIN BAG MAKING MACHINE Filed July 9, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Mar. 6, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE BAG MAKING MACHINE Application July 9, 1929, Serial No. 377,000

41 Claims.

My invention relates to an improvement in bag making machines and while some features of the machine are adapted for general application to bag making machinery, the present invention is more particularly adapted for the making of bags of the valve type.

Some of the objects of my invention are the provision of a machine for making valved bags in which the bag tubes are always in motion; improved means for cutting off or severing the paper tube into lengths as it comes through the machine, this improved mechanism being of such a character as to eliminate the adhering of the stock to the cutting member thereby ensuring proper operation at al1 times; improved mechanism for creasing the paper and for opening the pleat in the same; and improved mechanism for advancing the tubes through the machine after the opening or spreading of the pleat to finish the valve forming operation; and finally means for trimming the end of the bag after the valve has been tucked.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a partisectional elevational view of an embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the tube forming and pleating end of the machine;

Fig. 3 is a continuation of the apparatus or mechanism shown in Fig. 2;

Figs. 4 and 5 are details of the cutting or severing mechanism for the tubes;

. Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6--6 of Fig. 3; Fig. '7 is a section on the line 7-7 of Fig. 3; Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 3; Fig. 9 is a further view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 8;

Fig. l0 is a view of the mechanism which follows that shown in Figs. 8 and 9;

Fig. ll is a section on the line 1ll1 of Fig. 3;

Fig. l2 is a side section of the mechanism shown in Fig. 11;

Figs. 13 and 14 are views showing the functions performed by the mechanism of Figs. l1 and 12;

Fig. 15 is a section on the line 15-15 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 16 is a sectional elevation of additional cutting off mechanism;

Fig. 17 is a fragmentary view of the bag after the cutting off mechanism of Fig. 16 has op* erated, but drawn with the valve unfolded, it being understood however that this cutting off operation is performed with the valve folded or formed;

Fig. 18 is a fragmentary view of a bag -with the valve completely formed; and

Fig. 19 shows the finished article.

Referring to the drawings in detail, Fig. 2

shows the paper being folded into tubular form by the mechanism shown at A, the tube next being pleated at the sides by pleaters B. The paper sheets in tubular and pleated form are designated 1 and next pass to the superposed rollers of a set of feed rollers, the rollers of one set being designated 2, 3, the superposed rollers of the other set being designated 4, 5.

The rolls or rollers 3 and 5 are driver rollers and are driven through a suitable gear train comprising a gear 6 mounted on a drive shaft '7, idler 8, gear 9 on a shaft 10, gear 11 on an adjustable arm 12, the gear 11 meshing with a gear 13 on a shaft 14 carrying the feed roll 5, and intermediate gear 15 meshing with a gear carried on the shaft 16 carrying the feed roller 3. The upper rollers 2 and 4 are driven through a gear train shown at 17 in Figs. 2 and 3.

The feed rollers feed the stock to the right, as viewed in Fig.' l, and the next step in the operation of making bags by my improved apparatus is the severing of the tubes into predetermined lengths.

The severing or cutting mechanism for this operation is of improved and novel construction and is best shown in Figs. 4 and 5, and indicated in Fig. 1. I might mention in this connection that care has been exercised to ensure the cutting mechanism freeing itself from the paper after each cutting off operation. In advance of the feed rollers 4 and 5 I mount a shaft 18 carrying a movable cutting member or knife 19 provided with a serrated edge 20. This shaft also carries an arm 21 to which is attached one end of a coil spring 22, the other end of this spring being anchored as shown at 23. The lower end of the arm 21 carries a cam follower 24. The function of the spring 22 is to maintain the cam follower in engagement with the face of a cam 25 'carried by the shaft 10 on which is mounted the gear 9 as above referred to. The cam 25, as will be seen from Figs. 4 and 5, is in advance of the arm 21 and hence any movement of the -arm 21 under the action of the spring 22 is to the right or counter-clockwise as indicated by the arrow on Fig. 5.

Adjacent the cutting bar or knife 19 are endless members shown as sprocket chains 26 carried on sprockets 27 and 28. One lead of these chains as will be seen from Figs. 4 and 5 rides over a fixed shoe 29.

The endless members or chains 26 carrying a continuously moving bar 30 which as will be hereinafter explained cooperates with the movable cutting member 19. The sprockets 27 are mounted on the main driver shaft 7.

Beyond the cutting and severing members 19 and 30 I provide pairs of superposed retarding pinch rolls 31 and 32. Roll 31 is on the driven shaft 10 while the upper roll 32 is driven through gears 33. The surface speed of the pinch rolls 31 and 32 is lower than that of the feed rollers 4 and 5. The purpose of this difference in surface speed between rollers 4 and 5 and pinch rolls 31 and 32 is to intermittently and momentarily retard the leading end of the stock so as to produce a slack in the tube which is desired when the cutting or severing members 19 and 30 function. This action will be described presently.

The pinch roll 32 is provided on its periphery with a pinch block 34. In the advancing of the stock prior to the cutting oif operation, the pinch rollers do not function, but immediately prior to this operation the block 34 is rotated into position to pinch the stock between it and the lower roll, and inasmuch as the pinch roll surface speed is lower than that of the stock speed the leading edge of the paper will be slowed up momentarily in advance of the cutting and severing mechanism, and as the feed rollers 2, 3 and 4, 5 are advancing the stock forward it will be apparent that a slack will be formed in the stock. The mechanism is so timed that on the production of the slack in the tube, the cutting member 19 and bar 30 will have reached or approximately reached the position of Fig. 4. Consequently on continued upward movement of the bar 30 the tube will be carried against the serrated edge of member 19 and severed.

The chains 26 are moving clockwise to carry the bar beyond the stock as shown in Fig. 5, and at the same time, due to the cam 25 and spring 22, the knife or severing member 19 will be moved anti-clockwise away from the tube. This is a desirable operation, and an advance over the art as I know it, in that it eliminates all possibility of the tube adhering to the knife 19 and interrupting the successful operation of the machine, and permits of the handling of stock which is difficult or not possible to be handled satisfactorily with rotary types of cutting mechanism.

In connection with the cutting off operation it is to be noted that the lengths into which the stock is to be cut may be varied when desired by varying the size of gear 13, which is permitted by the provision of the adjustable arm 12, thereby to vary the speed of the feed rollers.

Prior to the actual successive cutting or severing of the stock into lengths, the leading end of the tube will have been advanced through the machine between pairs of driven advancing rollers 35 and 36 driven from the gear 9. The rollers 35 have a cam face 37 and as the pinch blocks 34 release the severed tube the cam faces 37 on the rollers 35l will cooperate with the rollers 36 to grip the tubing and advance the same through the machine.

The tubing is advanced by the rollers 35 and 36 between a pair of long rollers shown at 38 and 39 and arranged in superposed relation to the spreader opening or pleat spreading mechanism.

40 and 41 designate a pair of adjustably mounted superposed driven anged spread or spreader rollers provided for the purpose of partially opening the pleat P which, as above explained, has

previously been formed in the side of the tube. The web 43 of the upper spread roller 40 mounts a lever 44 pivoted at 45, this lever carrying a cam follower 46 cooperating with a xed adjustable cam 47 mounted on rods 48. The ange 50 mounts a spreader pin 51, the outer end of which is normally maintained below the surface or periphery of the roller by means of a coil spring 52. This spring also functions to maintain the rear end of the pin in constant engagement with the lever 44 and the cam follower 46 in constant engagement with the cam 47. The lower roller 41 is provided with similar mechanism and corresponding parts therein have been given corresponding reference characters.

The pins 51 are tilted rearwardly and are arranged in staggered relation, and when projected by the cams 47 the pin 5l in the upper roller will engage the paper at the upper side of the pleat P as sho-wn at P and the pin 51 in the lower roller will engage'the paper in the lower side of the pleat P as shown at P" as the paper passes between the two rollers, and inasmuch as the pins 51 are tipped rearwardly lat an angle to the plane of advance of the paper the tendency of the pin 51 in the upper roller will be to cause the paper pierced thereby to follow the surface of that roller and the tendency of the pin in the lower roller is to cause the paper pierced by it to follow the surface of the roller 41.

The result is the desired spread of the pleat P as shown in Fig. 9 sufficiently to permit the horn 42 in the path of the tube to enter the pleat at one side of the web W thereof. It will be appreciated that on continued rotation of the two rollers the pins 51 will be withdrawn from the paper under the action of the spring 52, the levers 44 by that time having traveled onto the dwell portion of the cams 47.

'I'he drum or roller 40 carries a creaser C on its face cooperating with a groove C' in the face of roller 41. This creasing mechanism forms crease C" shown in Figs. 9, 10, 13 and 14 and operates just behind the spreaders to make a crease in the paper to facilitate folding or tucking of the valve.

The rollers 40 and 41, cams 47 and the spreading mechanism carried by the rollers are adjustable to accommodate the rollers to varying thicknesses of stock being handled.

Forward of the rollers 40 and 4l and the horn 42 is a gripper drum 53. Carried by the gripper drum for gripping the leading end of the tube are grippers, shown best in Fig. 8, and comprising gripper jaws 54 carried by shaft 56. Pivoted in the drum 53 on the free end of this shaft 56 is an arm 55 carrying a cam follower 57 cooperating with a xed cam 58. 59a designates a spring which is adapted to hold the gripper jaws 54 in closed position except as hereinafter pointed out.

Rotation of the drum 53 in the direction of the arrow thereon carries the cam follower 57 into engagement with the face of the cam 58 so that the gripper jaws 54 are opened at the time the jaws have traveled to a point adjacent the end of the horn 42 remote from the rollers 40 and 4l, the jaws 54 closing to grip the leading edge of the tube as shown in Fig. 10 as the cam follower 57 rides off the high part of cam 58. The gripper jaws 54, as will appear from 10, are to one side of the spread or partially opened pleat of the tube.

The gripper drum 53 is also provided with side grippers for gripping the edge of the tube at the lower side L of the open pleat. This gripping mechanism comprises a double arm 59 pivoted at its center on the drum shaft and vadjustably secured to the drum as shown at 60 so as to be adjustable with respectl to the drum to vary the position of the gripper with respect to the end of the bag tube, as will be explained more in detail later on.

Mounted in a bearing at the outer end of the double arm is a short shaft 61, this shaft which has longitudinal movement in its bearings carries a pivoted gripping finger 62. 62' designates a coacting gripper finger fixed to the outer bearing of the arm 59. 'The other end of the shaft 61 carries a cam follower 63 cooperating with a fixed cam 64. Intermediate the cam follower 63 and the bearing for the shaft 61 is a coil spring 65. The end of the shaft 61 remote from the drum 53 cooperates with a cam 66, this cam being so shaped that as the arm 59 is rotated carrying with it the shaft 61, the shaft 61 will be caused to move toward the drum against the action of the spring 65. Attached to the gripper finger 62 is a spring 67 having its other end anchored, this spring being so disposed as to hold the gripper finger 62 in closed position.

The other end of the double arm 59 carries similar gripper mechanism which for the sake of clarity will not be described.

It will be understood that the number of drum grippers employed may be varied as desired, two sets having been shown by way of illustration. It will be understood also that the drum 53 may be rotatively adjusted as well as the adjustment of the arm 59 relatively to the drum, so that the grippers just described may be caused to function at any time desired with respect to the distance back of the leading edge of the tube at which the lower edge L of the pleat P is gripped.

Above the gripper drum 53 mounted on sprockets 68 and 69 is an endless carrier shown as a sprocket chain 70, this chain riding over a guide member 71 best seen in Fig. 12. This chain carries gripping mechanism shown at 72 in Fig. 10 for gripping the upper edge 73 of the pleat P. This gripping mechanism comprises a shaft 74 passing through the chain 70 and carrying at its outer end a pivoted gripping finger 75. 76 designates a cooperating fixed gripping finger. Secured to the pivoted finger is a spring 77 anchored at 78. The end of the shaft 74 remote from the fingers just described is provided with a cam follower 79 cooperating with fixed cam 80. The same end of the shaft 74 cooperates with a fixed cam 81 which is so formed as to cause the shaft 74 to have a movement longitudinally in the direction of the drum 53 against the action of a spring 82 carried on the shaft 74.

This gripping mechanism carried by the chain 70 as well as the gripping mechanism carried by the drum 53 is so arranged that the clamping fingers will grip the paper simultaneously, and as the endless carrier moves over the guide 71 it will be defiected upwardly away from the gripper on the drum arm 59, to effect a gradual further opening of the pleat to approximately the position shown in Fig. 13, where the pleat is practically full open.

The guide member 71 is adjustable both vertically and horizontally, so as to accommodate the machine to pleats of varying widths, and so as to compensate for adjustment of the grippers carried by the drum arm 59.

The sprocket 68 is also adjustable as is the cam to vary the operation of the gripper finger 75 as desired.

The side gripper fingers grip the sides of the pleat in the tube just back of the point designated 83 adjacent the crease C" at which the paper is to be folded or tucked inwardly.

On the same shaft with the spreader roll 40 and moving therewith is an adjustable cam 84 cooperating with a roller 85 and a connecting rod 86 attached to an arm 87 pivotally mounted on a standard 88 above the gripper drum 53. The arm 87 is attached to a shaft 89 carrying a tucker arm 90 secured thereto, the lower end of this tucker arm being provided' with a tucking plate 91. The purpose of this plate is to tuck the paper as shown at 92 inwardly from the position shown in Fig. 13 to the position shown in Fig. 14.

The connection just described between the plate 91 and the shaft carrying the roller 40 imparts an oscillatory motion to the plate to engage the web of the opened pleat, tucking the same inwardly as shown in Figs. 13 and 14 and then moving outwardly as the tube continues its advance. By adjusting the cam 84 it will be appreciated the operation of the tuclrer plate may be regulated to suit all conditions.

On continued rotation ofthe gripper drum 53 and of the chain 70 the pleat in the tube will be gradually closed, the chain riding down the inclined face of the guide member 71. The tucker plate 91 is of course retracted by the operating mechanism above described and as the gripper drum 53 continues to rotate the cam followers will move off the high spots on the cams 66 and 81 to permit of the springs 65 and 82 to move their respective shafts to the left, as viewed in Fig. 11, to draw the pivoted side gripper fingers 62 and 75 laterally off the edge of the paper. The end grippers 54, however, have not yet been released and consequently the tube continues its advance.

On its continued advance the tube passes under fixed guide blades 93 and the tube will enter beneath a plurality of rollers 94 disposed in its path adjacent the periphery of the drum 53 with the pleat in closed position.

Each of these rollers 94 is provided with a spring-loaded block. 95. These blocks are provided for the purpose of permitting a momentary slowing up in the advance of the tube. It will be appreciated that the tube as it is released from the grippers 54 by the cam 97 is caused to continue its advance by rollers 94. These rollers advance the tube until the blocks 95 engage the tube whereupon the advance of the tube will be slowed up, the springs behind the blocks yielding sufciently to permit of the rollers to slip on the paper. until the blocks ride off the same, whereupon advance of the tube becomes normal again.

The rollers 94 are adjustable to vary the position of the spring-loaded blocks 95 with respect to the travel of the tube, thereby to vary the position of the advance end of the tube correspondingly.

designates a shaft carrying a plurality of arms 10]. which are in position above the paper as the same comes through the machine from the rollers 94, the outer end of each arm being provided preferably with a pad of rubber 102. The shaft 100 also carries an arm 103. the outer end of which carries a cam follower 104 cooperating with rotary cam 105. The shaft 106 carrying this cam carries a movable adjustable knife 107 forming part of the trimm'mg mechanism 99 adapted to cooperate with a fixed blade 108. The

j bottom which makes for a leaky valve.

follower 104 is maintained in engagement with the face of the cam 106 by a spring 109.

The parts are so arranged that at the instant the knife 107 together with the xed blade 108 perform the trimming operation the blocks 95 will be in engagement with the tube and the advance of the tube accordingly momentarily slowed up, the tube at this instant being held for the trimming operation by the pads 102 on the arms 101. This trimming operation completes the operation of the machine so far as my invention is concerned, it being understood that the bags are then discharged upon suitable apparatus forming no part of the present invention.

Finally the valve having been formed, strips 111 and 112 are sewn across the ends thereof as shown in Fig. 19.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing that my improved machine provides an apparatus for the making of valve bags in which during the entire operation the tube is continuously moving forward in the machine. This, so far as I know to the contrary, is an advance in this art, it being customary at present in the making of valve bags to perform certain of the operations in a way which necessitates the stopping of the tube in its progress through the machine.

I have also explained that in my improved apparatus the valve end of the tube is trimmed as the last step in the operation before the tube is discharged. This feature is an advance in the bag-making art and I have attempted to show in Fig. 17 the appearance of a bag made on my improved machine and by my improved method after the nal trimming operation has been performed. For purposes of illustration and clarity of description I have been obliged to show the bag as it would appear if the valve were unfolded after the nal trimming operation, it being appreciated, of course, that actually the trimming is done with the valve in folded position.

It will be seen from an inspection of this ngure that the leading end of the tube, in the final trimming operation, is cut off as shown at R, but with the valve in folded or tucked. position, so that this cut R when made extends completely across the leading edge of the tube. A cut completely across the end of the tube could not be made, of course, as will be understood from an inspection of Fig. 17 without cutting into the portion W of the valve unless the valve had already been formed, and such a cut, i. e., with the paper merely pleated and the valve unformed obviously decreases the distance from the edge B of the stock to the edge C of the valve By my method, i. e., trimming after the valve is formed, the distance from the edge B of the stock to the edge C of the valve bottom exceeds the distance from the edge B to the upper edge D of the valve, and the greater the trim the more this distance increases, and the more are the chances of a leaky valve reduced. It will be appreciated also that my method insures that when the finishing strip 111 is sewn in place the stitches will pass through the top edge of the valve as seen in Fig. 19.

As fully pointed out above the spreader mechanism, gripper mechanism, advancing mechanism, etc. which operate on the tube as and after the same passes between the rollers 40 and 43 have been made adjustable. In this connection it is to be noted that the entire mechanism including the rollers 40 and 43, the gripper drum 53, the gripper carrier 70, the tucker mechanism,` the rollers 94 and plates 93 are all adjustable laterally as a unit by mounting all of these parts in a laterally adjustable frame F which may be adjusted through a hand wheel G and worm and worm gear mechanism shown at H.

By the operation of the hand wheel G with the consequent lateral movement of the frame F it will be appreciated that the machine can be adjusted so as to accommodate it to varying widths of paper stock 1.

It will be understood that changes in the details of construction above described may be made within the purview of this invention.

What I claim is:-

1. In a bag making machine, the combination of spreading or opening means for opening the pleat in one side of a pleated tube, and rotary gripper means in advance of the spreading means for gripping the advance end of the tube to one side of the pleat while the pleat is opened or spread.

2. In a bag making machine, the combination of means for gripping opposite sides of a pleat in an advancing bag tube, means for moving the gripping means away from each other to open the pleat, means for tucking the web of the pleat to form the valve with the tube advancing, and means for moving one of the gripper means toward the other to close the pleat.

3. In a bag making machine, the combination of means for holding the pleat in an advancing pleated tube in open position, and a cam operated tucker movable into and out of the path of the web of the open pleat of the advancing tube for tucking the web.

4. In a bag making machine, means for tucking the web of the pleat of an advancing pleated tube, means for continuing the advance of the tube after said tucking operation and arranged temporarily during its operation to reduce the speed of the tube advance, and cutting off means operative during such reduction in speed for cutting off the end of the tube.

5. In a bag making machine, the combination of means for opening or spreading the pleat in the side of a bag tube, and means for adjusting said pleat opening or spreading mechanism laterally to accommodate the machine to varying widths of bag tubes.

6. In a bag making machine, the combination of means for opening or spreading the pleat in the side of a bag tube on the advance of the tube, tube advancing mechanism for advancing the tube during the opening or spreading operation, and means for adjusting said opening or spreading mechanism and tube advancing mechanism laterally to accommodate the machine to tubes of different widths.

'7. In a bag making machine, the combination of means for opening or spreading the pleat in the side of a bag tube, means for advancing the tube during such opening or spreading operation, tucking mechanism operable when the pleat has been opened or spread, and additional advancing mechanism for advancing the tube after the tucking operation, said opening or spreading mechanism, said advancing mechanism and said tucking mechanism being adjustable laterally as a unit to accommodate the machine to various widths of bag tubing.

8. In a bag making machine, the combination of means for opening or spreading the pleat in the side of a bag tube, means for advancing the tube during such opening or spreading operation,

tucking mechanism operable when the pleat has been opened or spread, additional advancing mechanism for advancing the tube after the tucking operation, and Worm and gear mechanism for adjusting said opening or spreading mechanism, said advancing mechanism and said tucking mechanism laterally as a unit to accommodate the machine to various widths of bag tubing.

9. In the making of valve bags from continuously moving pleated tube stock, the method which consists in cutting oi lengths of tube stock, forming -the valve therein, andfinally trimming the valveend of the stock.

10. In the making of valve bags, the method which consists in cutting lengths from a continuously moving strip of pleated tube stock, and whilecontinuing the advance of the stock opening the pleat therein, forming the valve, and nally trimming the leading edge of the stock with the valve formed therein.

11. In a bag making machine for handling pleated tubes in the making of valve bags, the

combination of a pair of oppositely driven rollers interposed in the path of the tubes in their advance through the machine, each roller being providedin its periphery with pins for attaching the rollers to each side of the pleat in the bag adjacent the corner of the leading end of the tube, continued rotation of the rollers effecting a spreading or opening of the pleat, and means following the spreading or opening mechanism for tucking the valve at said corner of the tube.

12. In a bag making machine the combination of a pair of oppositely rotating drums, springretracted cam projected pins carried thereby adapted to be projected intermittently from the periphery of said drums into opposite sides of a pleated tube passing between the drums, adjacent the corner of the leading end of the tube, continued rotation of said drums eecting separation ofv the sides of the tube to open the pleat 'at said corner of the tube, and a horn in the path of the opened pleat.

13. In a bag making machine, the combination of a pair of cooperating oppositely rotating spreader drums, spreader pins carried thereby, fixed cams, and a cam follower carried by each drum and cooperating with said cams and pins to eiect intermittent projection of said pins beyond the face of said drums'and into opposite sides of a pleated tube adjacent one corner of the leading end thereof as said tube passes between said drums, to open the pleat at that corner of the tube, and a plate adapted to engage the web of the opened pleat to tuck the valve.

14. In a bag making machine, the combination of a. pair of cooperating spreader drums or rollers rotating in opposite directions and springretracted cam-projected spreader pins carried by said drums, said pins being mounted at an acute angle to a tangent touching the drum periphery at the outer end of each pin.

15. In a bag making machine, the combination of a pair of cooperative spreader drums or rollers rotating in opposite directions, a spreader carried by each drum and adapted to enter the material of a pleated tube passing between the drums to spread the pleat as the spreaders move away from each other on continued rotation of the drums, and a horn in advance of said drums in the path of the tube and adapted to enter the opened pleat before the spreaders have released the tube.

16. In a bag making machine, the combination of spreading or opening means for opening the pleat in one side of a pleated tube, a drum in advance of the spreading means and cam-controlled gripping means on the periphery of said drum for gripping the advance end of the tube to one side of the pleat While the pleat is in opened or spread position.

17. In a bag making machine, the combination of tube spreading or opening means, rotary gripping means in advance of the spreading means for gripping the leading portion of the tube to one side of the opened portion of the tube, a spring for closing said gripping means, and a cam for opening the gripping means.

18. In a bag making machine for handling pleated tubes, the combination of means for spreading or opening the pleat in the tube, a gripper drum in advance of the spreading means, spring actuated grippers pivoted thereon timed to grip the leading portion of the tube to one side of the opened pleat While the pleat is maintained spread or opened, and a fixed cam for releasing said grippers.

19. In abag making machine, the combination of means for opening or spreading the pleat in a tube, means in the path of the advancing tube for gripping the leading end of the tube to one side of the pleat with the pleat in opened position, and means for gripping each side of the pleat with the pleat in open position.

20. In a bag making machine, the combination of means for opening or spreading the pleat in an advancing tube, continuously moving grippers for gripping the leading portion of the tube to one side of the pleat for continuing the advance of the tube with the pleat spread or opened, and additional gripping means for gripping each side of the pleat to the rear of the leading portion of the tube.

21. In a bag making machine, the combination of means for spreading the pleat of a pleated tube, a rotating drum and a continuously moving chain in advance of the spreading means, gripping means carried by said drum and by said chain for gripping the sides of the opened pleat, and deecting means for the chain to carry the gripping means thereof away from the drum to eiect a further opening or spreading of the tube pleat.

22. In a bag making machine, the combination of spreading means for spreading or opening the pleat in a pleated tube, and cam controlled grippers adapted to grip the sides of the open pleat to effect a further opening of the pleat.

23. In a bag making machine, the combination of spreading means for spreading or opening the pleat in an advancing pleated tube, a continuously rotating drum in advance of the spreading means, adjustable gripping means carried thereby, a sprocket chain mounted above said drum, and gripping means carried by said chain, the gripping means carried by said drum gripping the lower side of the open pleat, the gripping means carried by the chain gripping the upper side of said open pleat, and fixed cams for opening both of said gripping means.

24. In a bag making machine, gripping means for gripping the sides of the pleat in an advancing pleated tube, and means for automatically eiiecting movement of said gripping means laterally with respect to the tube.

25. In a bag making machine, gripping means continuously moving for gripping the sides of an open pleat in an advancing paper tube, and springs and ilxed cams cooperating with the gripping means for effecting movement of the gripping means laterally with respect to the tube into and out of gripping position.

26. In a bag making machine, gripping means for gripping one side of an open pleat in an advancing tube, said gripping means comprising a xed member and a movable member, a mount for the movable member, a chain carrying the mount, a fixed cam for pivoting the movable member, a spring for moving said mount and the movable member of the gripper away from the tube, and a fixed cam lfor moving said members in the opposite direction.

27. In a bag making machine, a continuously rotating drum, gripping means adapted to grip one side of an open pleat in an advancing pleated tube adjustably mounted on said drum, a spring for moving one member of the gripping means laterally away from the tube, and a fixed cam for moving the said member laterally in the opposite direction.

28. In a bag making machine, the combinationA of rotatable means for holding the pleat in an advancing pleated tube in open position, and a tucker in the path of the web of the pleat of the advancing tube for tucking the web inwardly of the advancing tube.

29. In a bag making machine, means for gripping each side of an advancing pleated tube to open the pleat, means for gripping the leading end of the tube to one side of the pleat to continue the advance of the tube, and tucking means adapted while -the advancing tube is so gripped to be brought into engagement with the web of the pleat to tuck the same inwardly of the tube.

30. In a bag making machine, means for tucking the web of the pleat of an advancing pleated tube to form a valve, and means following the tucking means to cut oil the end of the tube after the tucking operation.

31. In a bag making machine, means for tucking the web of the pleat of an advancing pleated tube, means for pressing the tube af-ter said tucking operation, and means for cutting off the end of the tube after the pressing operation.

32. In a machine for making valved paper bags, the combination of means for tubing and pleating the paper, cutting means for cutting the tubes to lengths, spreaders for opening the pleat in one side of the tube while gripping the leading portion of the tube to continue its advance, tucking means for tucking the web of the pleat to form the valve, and pressing means and tube trimming means operating after the tucking and pressing operation.

33. In the making of valve bags the method which comprises progressively forming a web into a laterally pleated tube with a longitudinally pasted seam, severing the tube during its forward travel into single bag lengths, tucking the valve therein on its forward movement, and nally trimming the valve end of the tube.

34. In the making of valve bags the method which comprises tucking the valve in a pleated bag tube while the tube is moving forward, and finally trimming the valve end of the tube.

35. In a bag making machine, the combination of a pair of cooperating rollers or drums, yieldingly mounted pins carried thereon for spreading the pleat in one side of a pleated tube, cams for intermittently projecting said pins beyond the periphery of said drums, to puncture the bag tubes at each side of the pleat at the tube edge, and a horn adapted to enter the spread pleat.

36. In a bag making machine for handling pleated tubes in the making of valve bags, means in the form of pins carried by oppositely rotating cylinders in the path of the advancing tubes and adapted to be automatically attached to the tube adjacent the corner of the leading end of the tube at each side of the pleat therein, to spread or open the pleat on continued rotation of said cylinders, preparatory to the forming of a valve at said corner of the tube.

37. In a bag making machine for handling pleated tubes in the making of valve bags, tube advancing means, rotatable means interposed in the path of the advancing tubes adapted to be automatically attached to the tube adjacent the corner of the leading end of the tube at each side of the pleat therein, to spread or open the pleat on continued rotation of said rotatable means, means in the path of the advancing tube for engaging the tube at the opened pleat to tuck the material of the tube inwardly to form a valve at the said corner of the tube.

38. In a bag making machine for handling pleated tubes in the making of valve bags, tube advancing means, adjustable rotatable means interposed in the path of the advancing tubes adapted to be automatically attached to the tube adjacent the corner of the leading end of the tube at each side of the pleat therein, to spread or open the pleat on continued rotation of said rotatable means, means in the path of the advancing tube for engaging the tube at the opened pleat to tuck the material of the tube inwardly to form a valve at the said corner of the tube.

39. In a bag making machine for handling pleated tubes in the making of valve bags, tube advancing means, rotatable means interposed in the path of the advancing tubes adapted to be automatically attached to the tube adjacent the corner of the leading end of the tube at each side of the pleat therein, to spread or open the pleat on continued rotation of said rotatable means, and gripping means operating automatically on further advance of the tube for gripping the opposed edges of the opened pleat, means in the path of the advancing tube for engagingv the tube at the opened pleat to tuck the material `of the tube inwardly to form a valve at the said corner of the tube.

40. In a bag making machine for handling pleated tubes in the making of valve bags, tube advancing means, rotatable means interposed in the path of the advancing tubes adapted to be automatically attached to the tube adjacent the corner of the leading end of the tube at each side of the pleat therein, to spread or open the pleat on continued rotation of said rotatable means, and continuously moving gripping means adapted to grip the opposed edges of the opened pleat at the side of the tube, means in the path of the advancing tube for engaging the tube at the opened pleat to tuck the material of the tube inwardly to form a valve at the said corner of the tube.

41. In the making of bags the method which comprises continuously advancing the bag material, tubing and pleating the same, dividing the tubing into bag lengths, opening the pleat at one corner of the bag and tucking the pleat at the said corner of the bag during the continuous advance of the bag to form a valve.

ADOLPH POTDEVIN. 

